Promotion
by Keynn
Summary: At the funeral. Renji never wanted to be a captain; never wanted to wear those burdens.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach; Credit to cover work - Rocket-Out deviantART**

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******Promotion**

_Renji_

Summary: At the funeral. Renji never wanted to be a captain; never wanted to wear those burdens.

Funerals in Soul Society are somber events. No one speaks much, and no one much listens to those who do.

When Yamamoto had asked first Rukia, and then himself to speak at the coming funeral of Kuchiki-taichou, both had initially denied, much like they had denied the death of the nobel man in its entirety. But reality dropped in Renji's stomach like a lead weight a couple of days later with the sixth division in shambles along with most of Soul Society, and there was no taichou to sooth that chaos like there had always been before.

It was then, sitting in the shared office of the taichou and fukutaichou of the sixth division, with no one occupying the former's position that Renji had stopped writing out the report of death and had drawn up a new paper. An acceptance as speaker at the coming funeral. He learned later that day that Rukia had done the same thing.

Her speech was hollow and bleak. The traits of a Kuchiki speaker, which Renji assumed was probably because alongside the dozens of shinigami men and women present at the funeral, were the elders of the Kuchiki family, and Rukia was now in line to become the head in Byakuya's place. He would be disappointed, perhaps, in anything less than top social behavior. When she finished she bowed once to the audience, once to the body of her dead brother, and walked away in silence. Renji wouldn't remember seeing her for the rest of the coming week.

Renji's own speech was much less composed, and far shorter. It began and ended with cracked words and sorrow that came out as anger.

"I was supposed to prove myself to you damn it!" He fumed, and slammed his fist on the rock slab once. "Selfish bastard." He whispered, then turned to the audience. He muttered something about regal nobility, something about following that man to hell and further. Something about the sixth, the people and serving under him. "Not another taichou will be him." Or something to that effect, and when he was done he moved to stand off to the side. Yoruichi was brought forward to burn the body, standing beside Yamamoto.

"We have lost a great many in this massacre." The ancient man announced. "Let us not forget our fallen comrades!" The crowd gave a small wave of sorrow, before Yamamoto continued. "But let us be prepared for what the future will bring. A war has begun on our own soil, and our troops need leaders. Kuchiki Byakuya was a magnificent taichou, but now the sixth needs a new one." The haori which had been pristinely folded beside Kuchiki-taichou's body was grabbed and Yamamoto made his way to Renji. For his part, Renji was one-half shock, one-half rage. That haori belong to _that_ man. "Abarai Renji of the sixth division, you meet all requirements necessary for promotion," He began. Renji saw it coming then, like a sword to his heart, as the old man threw the white haori of his dead captain over his shoulders. "And for these accomplishments you have been selected to take to position of captain of the sixth division. You will accept." And that was it. There was no option. No time to argue or throw a fit or demand 'to hell with that you old asshole!' the man had turned away, nodded once to Yoruichi.

"Farewell." She stated, and with a swift kido incarnation, the fire to burn the man had been lit.

Renji's shoulders felt like wet wool had been placed on them. So thick, so hot that he thought the haori might drag him to the ground with its intensity. The clouds were grey and the fire made them look as though they were burning also.

No one stayed long. A few people said congratulations to Renji as they left, but when it was all said and done Renji was alone with the flames licking the sky, on his knees. He gripped the sleeve of the sixth division's taichou haori, it was stark and white. Cleaned of all traces of the former taichou. All but one droplet. A little dot of red.

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_Well, I don't want Byakuya to be dead for reasons that are mildly obvious, :P but I most like Renji when he's suffering *(because I'm an asshole) and I was thinking that if Byakuya were to actually be dead, Renji fulfills all the requirements to replace him. Right down to achieving Bankai. Poor Renji, being forced into your superior's post for having the technique acquired to prove your worth to him._


End file.
